Flexible interlocking spring-tube.



L. A. SUBERS.

FLEXIBLE INTERLOOKING SPRING TUBE. APPLICATION rum: MAY12,1918. RENEWEDAUG.X9,1914.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

nawnnncn A. scams, or onnvnmm), OHIO.

FLEXIBLE INTERLOCKING SPRING-TUBE.

Application filed may 12, 1913, Serial No. 767,200. Renewed AugustInterlocking Spring-Tube, of'which I hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exactdescription, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a flexible spring tube orcasing provided with interlocking coils which can also be employed as asimple and easily applied form of armor for hose pipe, such as apneumatic'orrailway brake hose, and a pressure or suction hose of allsorts.

.The invention also provides a. form of tube composed of overlapping andinterlocking elements and in "hioh the joints are practically .waternnddust proof.

The invention comprises the combination of the ,coils or turns of aspirally wound wire'or band enlarged and having preferably rounded edgesarranged at ditfcrent levels, and in which the enlarged edges are Iconnected by a thinner web or member, with an adjoining coil or turnsimilar in shape and C(ll'lSillllCtl'OIl and in which the ei'ilargededges interlock with those of the first named coil or turn. All theinterlocking coils or turns may be component parts of one integral coil,or the tube may be composed of a multiple number of coils. The inventioncomprises the combination and arrangement of parts to permit of alimited amount of stretching and compres sion of the coils upon eachother, and further consists in the details of construction, hereinafterdescribed and shown in the drawings, and specilically pointed out in theclaims. H

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of ahose incased by this tubular armor and bent into a curve h owing theaction of the component parts of the armor u on each other in expansionand contraction; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of theinterlocking spring tube showing a method of formation and ofconstructing the interlocking joint; l ig. 3 is an enlarged section of aportion of one side of a straight piece of interlocking spring tubeshowing a portion thereof completed; Fig. l shows the interlockingspring tubc Specification of Letters Patent.

' interlocking with the same, and

side of the curve and to outer side oi the curve, but the tube as aPatented Mar. 23, 1915., 19, 1914. Serial No. 857,607.-

' as applied to the exterior and interior of a.

flexible hose fabric.

In these views Ads a band of metal or other suitable substancepreferably formed with a body or stem portion 1 having forkedextremities 2, 2, integrally connected together. The extreme edges ofthe body portion and forked extremities are enlarged at 3, 4: and 4,respcctively'arrd also pref-' erably smoothly rounded to permit (if theeasy action of one coil upon anotherl 'when they are associated togetherin the.completed tube In Fig. 3 the manner of interlocking the coilstogether is shown clearly, the enlarged edge of the body portion of onecoil being inclosed between the forks of the next adjacent coil, thusallowing only a predetermined amount of lateral or longitudinalseparation of the coils. The enlarged extremities 4, 4', are shown upondifferent levels, and each extremity 4, l is at a different level fromthe extremity 3, which is inserted between the extremities 4, 4:, thuspreventing the complete separation of the coils, under workingconditions.

.A limited movement longitudinally of the hose is permitted by giving apredetermined width to the web forming the body portion 1, and to thewebs forming the forks 2 and 2. This limited movement is essential topermit the flexure of the hose as shown in Fig. 1, the coils beingpermitted to approach closely to each other on the inner separate at thewhole is only slightly extensible as predetermincd accmrding to theamount of flexibilit v required, nor can the coils become entirelyseparated, since it is not desirable. to have the tube stretch unduly ortorted in such a. manner as to be impracticable or decrease the life ofthe hose or other substance inclosed therein.

The bands with their enlarged .ends are magnified iii-size in thedrawings and the actual bands can ordinarily be constructed by drawingthem through dies having openings of suitable shape, or by passingthrough suitablv shaped pressure rolls. AtC and D,

Figs. 2 and a form of F shape is shown which is suitable for thispurpose. The edges and 4 lie in their proper positions become dis loo .3 upon the adjacent coil, While the coils being wound upon the mandrel,as shown is dotted lines in 3. In l ig. 2 l5 is si'icli e mandrel andthe edge 4: is shown at G being formed over the edge 3 upon the bodyportion. in Fig. 4.: the tube is shown applied as e protective casingboth to the interior and exterior of o llexible hose or other suitablemateri l which may thus be used for section purpo the hose fabric beingprotected by the. inner flexible metallic tube from the matter passingtherethrougli, and the outer ornior shielding the exterior of the hosefrom injury. 'lhis inner :liexible tube also serves to preventcollapsco't' the intermediate fabric when in service for suctionpurposes,

1 do not confine myself to the use of this flexible poses clone since bythe introduction oif suitable elastic and adhesive substance Yen at H inFig". 5, among the interlockcoils ri. thereof, the tube might constiocomplete tube or hose in itself with lin' or eorering of any sortv A(:lizin'l lined between the forks in euch coil .nich the said elasticsubstance is,in-

closed. Tl his material can be introduced l are being; constructed uponthe mandrel.

The above described coils being made of spring material will alwaysresume their origimrl positions when the tube is elongated or flexed,and hence no cramping or binding of the ports on themselves will occurunder ordinary conditions.

Having thus described the invention Whzit l cliiini new and desire tosecure by Lettors Patent is:

i In 21, flexible armor, a coiled bend hav- Webbed body portion with anen-- i terlocliing spring tube for zirinor one the aforesaid chamberWhile the coils lerged single edge, and an integral webbed l'orli,extending from the opposite edge thereof, said fork provided withenlarged edges the enlarged edges of the fork in one spiral coil ot'suidbend inclosing betvwen .tlieni the enlarged edge of the webbed bodyportion of the adjacent coil. V

5%. .ln :1 flexible inetnl armor, a coiled bond comprising a tnvebbedbody portion and fol-lied eiitreiiiities, and enlarged edges for saidwebbed body and l'iorhetl extremities, the said torkeih extremitiesinclosing; the body portion of the adjacent coil between them, saidenlargedsedges of said iorlied portions of one coil adopted to emergeand ioclose the enlarged edge of the bod portion oi the adjacent coil. 9

in it flexible, interlocking spring tube, a series of interlockingcoils, each coil pro- Yided with one enlarged edge, and with one lorlrcdedge having enl: rged extremities ie enlarged edge of the fork on theed, oi one coil inclosing the ciilnrged ct or he next adjacent coil, thesaid foil; ormin chamber and an elastic substzu'icc inclos saidchal'nber.

l. ln it ilexible spring tube, {1 coiled bond boring a stem edge andliorlced or composed of thin. metal, said ed; rnhii ill) theirextremities, the ciilniged to.

edges of each spiral coil inclosing the lzu stein edge oi: thendpicent-coil and forming an inclosure, end an elastic sob stance insaid inclosiire in which v l st in edge is embedded.

.ln testimony whereof, l hereunto any hand this eighth day of May 1912Li ll' lllilifltflfl is.

in presence o;E-

lu'nxss'r lilosmiit, ADAM JldEYER

